AMHERST – Heading into Saturday's game against St. Bonaventure, Sampson Carter had made just nine of his last 43 shots for the University of Massachusetts basketball team. Fourteen of those misses had come from beyond the arc, where one of the team's premier 3-point threats was shooting just 12.5 percent during his rough stretch.

The shot swished through just as the horn sounded, simultaneously cutting UMass' halftime deficit from double digits to a more mentally manageable seven and giving Carter a much-needed boost.

"Once I see the ball go in, my confidence immediately comes back," he said after finishing with 11 points on 4-for-7 shooting. "(The momentum) definitely carried over. We needed a bucket bad before the first half ended, and I was happy to see it go through the net.

"I also was motivated by my lack of play last game when it was a close one and I couldn’t really contribute to help my team. I couldn't let that happen this game."

Saturday's 73-68 come-from-behind win was every bit as close as the previous game. And this time, Carter played a huge role in keeping the Minutemen in it as they pieced together their comeback.

Four minutes, 30 seconds into the second half, Carter knocked down his second and third shots (layup, 3-pointer) just as the Bonnies had extended their lead to a game-high 13 points.

Six minutes later, he drew a charge on an inbounds play that helped swing momentum even more. His layup and free throw after being fouled with 2:42 left cut the deficit to just three.

What might have been his biggest play, however, was an offensive rebound and assist.

With the Bonnies' lead down to just 68-66 with 1:15 left, senior forward Raphiael Putney – himself having a nice comeback game – launched a potential go-ahead 3-pointer that clanged off the front of the rim.

The ball caromed over the hoop, where Carter and a defender went up for it. Carter won out, tipping the ball back to himself. With his back to the basket, he whipped a pass to sophomore guard Trey Davis standing behind the 3-point line 10 feet away.

Davis' shot hit its mark and the UMass comeback was complete. Carter said he didn't hesitate in passing up a potential opportunity to be the hero in favor of getting Davis – 0 for 4 on 3s to that point – the open look.

"I know the type of player he is. If he misses one, the next one is going in," he said. "He was open and he knocked it down."

All in a day's work for Carter, who said getting to be a key cog once again "felt great."

"I came into the game not even worrying about offense – just playing defense and doing what I can do to help my team win."

COUNTDOWN TO 100: Coach Derek Kellogg improved to 99-78.

He gets his first crack at win No. 100 Wednesday at George Mason – the team with whom Kellogg began his full-time coaching career during the 1997-98 season under Jim Larranaga.

RPI WATCH: After a loss to Florida State and series of disappointing, too-close-for-comfort wins, the Minutemen had slowly fallen from their No. 1 RPI position.

By last week, they had dropped all the way to No. 5.

But after Saturday's win, UMass is back at No. 3 in the country, trailing only Wisconsin (16-0) and Kansas (12-4).